Method of forming decorative face building units



H. H. TERRIO July 18, 1967 METHOD OF FORMING DECORATIVE FACE BUILDING UNITS Filed May 14, 1964 Fig.

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United States Patent Office 3,331,175 METHOD OF FORMING DECORATIVE FACE BUILDING UNITS Harry H. Ten-i0, 127 Biwabik Ave., Mount Iron, Minn. 55768 Filed May 14, 1964, Ser. No. 367,441 8 Claims. (Cl. 52-315) The present invention is primarily concerned with the molding of a building unit in the form of a concrete block having one or more rocks embedded therein and projecting therefrom so as to produce a decorative effect.

One of the primary objects of the instant invention is to form these units in a heretofore unknown manner which results in a structurally as well as an artistically superior product as compared to the units resulting from conventionally used methods.

Likewise, it is an object of the instant invention to provide a process for forming decorative units consisting of exposed randomly arranged stone or rock embedded in a poured concrete unit wherein no complex apparatus is required.

In addition, it is an object of the instant invention to provide a process wherein each of the rocks or stones in the finished product is peripherally surrounded by a smooth groove producing an artistically pleasing shadow effect completely thereabout.

Similarly, it is an object of the instant invention to provide a decorative unit consisting of a concrete block with a plurality of embedded rocks projecting from a face thereof wherein each of the rocks is surrounded by a smooth depression or groove in the face of the concrete itself.

Basically, the method or process of the instant invention involves the positioning of a form upon a level surface, randomly placing rock on the bottom of the form, spraying the rock and form with water, pouring wax into the form so as to cover a portion of the rocks, approximately to one inch, allowing the wax to harden, lightly spraying the rocks with water, pouring concrete into the form to the top thereof, allowing the concrete to harden or set, and removing the form and wax.

While it is appreciated that previous processes propose the use of other molding substances, such as for example, sand, clay or ice, such substances have been found to provide a substantially rough and sandy finish on the concrete itself, which can result in rapid erosion of the concrete, this condition not being present in units constructed in accordance with the instant invention. In addition, the use of ice, although previously proposed, results in such difficulty as to make its use practically impossible except under extreme and difficult controls which must be exercised in order to maintain the temperature of the ice so as to prevent its premature melting while at the same time attempting to achieve a substantially higher temperature in the concrete so as to enable it to properly set. This all being in addition to the necessity of providing expensive refrigeration equipment. Further, the significant difference resides in the fact that none of these previously known molding materials will produce the highly desirable shadow effect about each of the projecting rocks as noted supra in conjunction with the instant invention.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a transverse cross-sectional view illustrating the mold or form with the various elements of the building unit therein;

3,331,175 Patented July 18, 1967 FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of the finished unit;

and

FIGURE 3 is a transverse cross-sectional view taken substantially on a plane passing along line 3-3.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings, reference numeral 10 is used to generally designate the finished concrete block or decorative unit comprising the instant invention. In molding or forming this unit 10, a metal mold or form 12, including interconnected vertical sides 16, is provided and positioned upon a level surface such as the table top 17, the top 17 forming a bottom for the form 12. Next, a plurality of rocks or stones 18 are placed in the form 12 on the top 17, these rocks preferably being randomly placed. After the rocks 18 are in position, both the rocks 18 and the interior of the form 12 are sprayed with water so as to reduce or prevent the adherence of the wax 20 thereto, this wax 20 being subsequently poured into the form to a desired depth corresponding to the portions of the rocks 18 which are to be exposed in the final unit 10, this depth being generally about one inch. After the wax has hardened or set, water is once more lightly sprayed over the rocks 18 so as to insure the developing of a proper bond between the rocks 18 and the subsequently poured concrete 22. The concrete 22 is then poured into the form to the desired height, generally to the top of the sides 16 of the form 12, and allowed to set or harden. After the concrete has set, the unit 10- having the wax 20 adhered thereto is removed from the form 12 and the wax 20 is thereafter removed, the removal of the wax, facilitated by the initial spray of water, normally being achieved by simply striking the wax with a mallet or other similar article so as to dislodge the wax from the unit 10.

As a result of following this process, it has been found that, in the finished unit 10, each rock 18 is surrounded by a smooth depression or groove 24 presenting an un expected and highly pleasing shadow effect greatly enhancing the appearance of the unit. One theory which might be advanced for the forming of such grooves is that the wax, in direct contact with the rocks, will tend to cool more rapidly than the remainder of the wax, and as such, as the wax between the rocks cools, there will be a shrink age of the wax forming a smooth depression in the wax between the rocks which will form a bulge of concrete between the rocks in the finished unit. In conjunction with this, surface tension will develop between the rocks and wax producing in effect a capillary action resulting in an appreciable rising of the wax peripherally about each stone which, when hardened, will produce the aforementioned peripheral grooves in the concrete about each of the rocks in the finished unit. In any event, regardless of the specific reasoning, repeated experimental use has consistently resulted in the formation of the peripheral grooves.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

I claim:

1. A process of forming a decorative face concrete unit consisting of orientating rocks in spaced relation to each other on the bottom of a form, pouring wax into the form to a depth sufficient so as to partially submerge the rocks, allowing the wax to harden, pouring concrete into the form to a depth at least sufiicient so as to cover the rocks, allowing the concrete to harden into a unit, removing the unit from the form, and removing the wax from the unit.

2. The process of forming decorative face concrete units consisting of orientating rocks in spaced relation to each other on the bottom of a form, spraying the form and rocks with water, pouring the wax into the form to a depth sufiicient so as to partially submerge the rocks, allowing the wax to harden, pouring concrete into the form to a depth at least sufficient to cover the rocks, allowing the concrete to harden into a unit, removing the unit from the form, and removing the wax from the unit.

3. The process of forming decorative face concrete units consisting of orientating rocks in spaced relation to each other on the bottom of a form, pouring wax into the form to a depth sufficient so as to partially submerge the rocks, allowing the wax to harden, spraying water over the rocks, pouring concrete into the form to a depth at least suflicient to cover the rocks, allowing the concrete to harden into a unit, and removing the unit from the form, and removing the wax from the unit.

4. The process of forming decorative face concrete units consisting of orientating rocks in spaced relation to each other on the bottom of a form, spraying the form and rocks with water, pouring wax into the form to a depth sufiicient so as to partially submerge the rocks, allowing the wax to harden, spraying water over the rocks, pouring concrete into the form to a depth at least sufficient to cover the rocks, allowing the concrete to harden into a unit, and removing the unit from the form, and removing the Wax from the unit.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein said wax is poured to a depth of approximately one inch.

6. A decorative face concrete unit consisting of a concrete block, a plurality of rocks embedded in one face of said block and projecting therefrom, and a peripheral depression in said one face surrounding each rock and generally conforming to the exposed periphery thereof, said one face smoothly bulging outward between the rock surrounding depressions and defining, in conjunction with said depression, a shadow effect about each block.

7. The unit of claim 6 wherein the outer extremity of each of the stones projects outwardly beyond the intermediate outwardly bulging portions of the face.

8. A process of forming a decorative face concrete unit consisting of orientating rocks in spaced relation to each other on the bottom of a form, pouring wax into the form to a depth of approximately one inch so as to partially submerge the rocks, allowing the wax to harden, pouring concrete into the form to a depth at least suflicient so as to cover the rocks, allowing the concrete to harden into a unit, and removing the unit from the form.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,087,974 2/1914 Owen 264-275 1,169,985 1/1916 Mickelson 52315 1,747,249 2/ 1930 Korompay 264275 2,151,420 3/1939 Carvel 52565 FOREIGN PATENTS 732,431 6/ 1955 Great Britain.

FRANK L. ABBOTT, Primary Examiner.

J. L. RIDGILL, Assistant Examiner. 

6. A DECORATIVE FACE CONCRETE UNIT CONSISTING OF A CONCRETE BLOCK, A PLURALITY OF ROCKS EMBEDDED IN ONE FACE OF SAID BLOCK AND PROJECTING THEREFROM, AND A PERIPHERAL DEPRESSION IN SAID ONE FACE SURROUNDING EACH ROCK AND GENERALLY CONFORMING TO THE EXPOSED PERIPHERY THEROF, SAID ONE FACE SMOOTHLY BULGING OUTWARD BETWEEN THE ROCK SURROUNDING DEPRESSIONS AND DEFINING, IN CONJUNCTION WITH SAID DEPRESSION, A SHADOW EFFECT ABOUT EACH BLOCK. 